School board seeks real estate agent to sell Saxvik

The Bismarck School Board agreed Monday night to hire a real estate agent to either sell or find someone who will rent-to-own Saxvik Elementary, which was determined to be worth $750,000.

The board decided the school district would be better off following that course of action than renting it out.

"Clearly the district doesn't want to be in the landlord business," Bismarck Superintendent Tamara Uselman said Monday. "Our goal is to sell the building."

Saxvik, located at 523 N. 21st St., closed at the end of the school year and its students were dispersed among other schools in the district. The school's closure was estimated to save $1.5 million annually.

In June, a board committee decided to determine the building's value before moving forward with potential buyers. Missouri Slope Areawide United Way has expressed interest in purchasing the property and has proposed turning it into a family resource center, possibly with after-school care, family programs or job training.

Last month, Dakota Appraisals inspected the school and offered its valuation. The board decided during Monday's meeting to put out a request for proposals to find a real estate company to help with the sale or lease of the building.